


Unfinished Fics: FMA Edition

by Argothia



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Chatting & Messaging, Fluff, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, unfinished works
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:02:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 1,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22665964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Argothia/pseuds/Argothia
Summary: Sometimes for whatever reason I end up with fics that I can't finish. Sometimes I have parts of those fics that I don't want to languish away on my hard drive forever but can't foresee using in any other fic. Sometimes I also have scenes cut from fics that have already been posted that were particularly good and it was a hard decision to cut them. That's what this is for.Individual rating on each chapter may vary but only between Gen and Teen.
Relationships: Edward Elric/Ling Yao
Kudos: 36





	1. Tired

**Author's Note:**

> Not many of these right now, but give me time. You might see elements from my published fics in here. This is because I frequently cannibalize older, unfinished fics for parts.
> 
> If you see a fic you want to see finished let me know and it's not a cut from another fic/I can come up with a way to complete it, I'll try and finish it!
> 
> None of these have been edited so there's probably typos and grammar errors, also as of right now (February 2020) I am still getting used to writing these characters so I apologize if they seem ooc.

It’s the loud huff of irritation that wakes Ed more than the fact that there is a back pressed against his all of a sudden. It’s kinda disturbing that it’s not the invasion of his personal space that he minds so much as that it’s Greed doing the invading. “What the hell--?” 

“Shut the fuck up.” Greed snaps back. “I’m trying to forget you’re there.” 

Ed blinks. “You’re the one--” 

“I said shut the fuck up.” Greed repeats. 

Oh that does it. Ed doesn’t care how tired he is he’s going to-- 

“The brat…” There’s hesitance in every syllable. “The brat’s tired.” 

Anger draining from him slowly, Ed can only manage a quiet, “Oh.” 

“Yeah, ‘oh’.” Greed snarks. “We don’t need to sleep, but… I’m tired. He’s tired. We’re sleeping. I’m not wasting energy on staying awake.” 

‘We’, ‘us’. It’s weird hearing Greed say that. He’s sharing. “So why… this?” 

“He trusts you.” Greed says like it’s the most obvious thing the world. Then he just sort of settles. Ling’s back is warm against Ed’s and Ed kind of hates that it’s Greed in charge of the body. If it were actually Ling – Ling who Ed trusts more than he probably should considering accepting a Philosopher’s Stone into his body was Ling’s grand idea in the first place, the idiot – then Ed might sleep better than he has in weeks. As it is he keeps tensing every time Greed so much as breathes weird. 

“Hey, Greed?” 

There’s a short pause, then. “What?” 

“Don’t ya think we’d all rest better if it were Ling in charge?” Ed grimaces, because that came out wrong and that could mean Greed will get pissed off leading to Ling getting no rest at all. Nice going. 

Surprisingly, though Greed just snorts with amusement. “Tryna get rid of me?” 

“Always.” Ed jokes back. 

“Oh, I see how it is.” Greed still sounds amused so that’s a good sign. 

Ed rolls his eyes. “You’re such a drama queen--” 

“It’s what I’m good at, what can I say?” 

“--Look, just, Ling can actually sleep right? Your body would get actual rest. Even if you don’t technically need it, it’s still nice right? See? It’s logical, asshole.” 

Greed goes quiet again for a moment. “Fine… just for tonight, have your damn boyfriend back.” 

“Wha--” Ed feels his face heat up and sits up to look over at Greed. “He’s not my--!” 

“Ed.” Ling yawns. “Shut up.” 

Resting his weight on his elbow for a moment longer, staring at Ling in the moonlight, Ed wills the blush away from his face and sighs. Without saying another word -- he wants Ling to get sleep after all -- Ed lies back down and even scoots back a bit to press their backs together more firmly. He’ll yell at Greed tomorrow.


	2. Arguing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Greed and Ling have a short argument.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This could almost _aaaaalmost_ be considered Ling's side of [This Fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22453525), but it was written earlier and I snagged some of the last bit to use in Hair Care, because it made me laugh.

It’s the middle of the night and Ling is sort of bored. Since Greed officially banned being the song caught in Greed’s head and all forms of verbal games, all Ling can do right now as he watches the world from the backseat of his own mind, is just observe. And he has observed quite a lot. He’s observed that Heinkel and Darius are married – whether it’s official or not it’s just fact. He’s observed that Greed is an excellent cook despite not needing to eat – “It’s not about needing, brat, it’s about wanting,” he’d said. And, well, he’d observed everything he could about Ed. Whenever Greed’s attention was on Ed, Ling had observed and he's starting to really not like what he was seeing. 

Ed wasn’t sleeping right. Tossing through the night and dozing in fits and starts if at all. Even right now, Ed’s not asleep. He’s been lying on his back staring at the stars for a while now. Ling can see him out of the corner of his eyes whenever Greed deigns to open them. It’s worrying. 

“Alright, I’ll bite, what’s wrong?” Greed asks out of nowhere, snapping Ling out of his own thoughts and back to reality. 

_Just thinking._

“Yeah? Well I’m getting bits and pieces of that ‘just thinking’ and it seems more like ‘just worrying’ to me.” 

_Worrying is also thinking. Besides it’s nothing for you to concern yourself with._

“Bull. Spill it.” 

… 

“Spill or I’m not eating for a week.” 

_You’re cruel._

“Duh.” 

_Ed’s not sleeping._

“Wha-- the alchemist brat? That’s what’s getting you in a tizzy?” Greed almost sounds amused, though Ling isn’t sure why. 

_He’s my friend. I’m worried. He’s not a homunculus and he needs sleep._

“Point, not like there’s anything anyone but him can do about it though.” He glances down at Ed who’s rolled over to lie on his side with his back to them. Still pretty obviously not asleep. 

_I guess._ Isn’t there something Ling can do though? Anything to give his friend peace of mind. _Unless…_

Greed tenses. “No. No, ‘unless’. I don’t like where this is going, kid.” 

_All I’m saying is he’s your minion now right? Aren’t you going to make sure your minion’s well rested?_

“My minion or no, I’m not the touchy-feely type.” 

_It’s not like I’m telling you to hug him. Just like go sit by him or something._

“Yeah, cuz that’ll be real comforting.” 

_Then let me take over for a bit._

“No.” 

_Greed._

“I said no and I meant no.” 

_Greeeeeeed._

“No.” 

_I can always start singing again._

“Fuck!” Greed exclaims just a little too loud. 

Ed lifts his head to glare at Greed. “What?” 

“Your prince is an ass.” 

“Then you compliment each other.” 

Ling starts laughing. 

Greed just glares silently for moment before saying, “Fine.” 

And in the next second Ling falls out of the tree because he wasn’t expecting to get control of his body back so abruptly. 

Ed sits up immediately. “Whoa, what--” 

“I’m fine!” Ling picks himself up off the ground. “Ugh, could’ve warned me first.” 

_Could’ve. Didn’t._

“Ling?” Ed questions craning his neck to see Ling through the bushes. “Is that you?” 

Hopping up with all the dignity he can muster Ling grins. “Yep!”


	3. Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A snippet that was cut from [But You Could Hide Beside Me Maybe For A While](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22453525).

“… I’m worried about Lan Fan you know?” Ling says, without really answering Ed’s question. “I know you said she’s safe. She’s with Fu. But I still worry. She’s my friend. We’ve been apart before, but never under circumstances like this. It’s the same for you and your brother right?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was cut because as I was writing I realized I had no idea where it was going. I think it has the potential to be made into it's own fic, but I still haven't a clue where it'd go from here yet.


	4. Grumbling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit cut from [Hair Care](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22516057).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Initially I was going to write Hair Care from Ed's perspective but I felt the need to write Greed so... this still would've been pretty good though.

The grumbling from the riverside is in Xingese so Ed’s fairly certain it’s Ling in charge when he walks over to see what’s wrong. He was not prepared to catch Ling with his hair down for once. Nor was he prepared for his heart skipping a beat at the sight. “Uh, Ling? Everything okay?” 

Ling glances up and smiles. “Hey, Ed. Yeah, just… my hair came down and Greed didn’t want to deal with it, but he also didn’t want to leave it down so… yeah


	5. Maybe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit cut from [A Little Spark Never Hurt No One](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22555987)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to happen in the midst of Ed and Ling arguing over whose fault it was that Ed fell over while trying to hold Ling up on a bet.

Then he hears Al say, “We’ll just leave you two alone. Looks like you’ve got some things to work out.” 

He turns just in time to see Al shooing a red faced Winry and Lan Fan out the door. “Wha--? No, wait, Al!” 

The door clicks shut and Ling just starts laughing, rolling off Ed to lie on the floor beside him. “Maybe I overdid it.” 

“Ya think!?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it socially acceptable for me, as the writer, to say that A Little Spark Never Hurt No One is my favorite of the 4 EdLing fics I've published? Because it kinda is... I mean it only beats out the others by a little, but it was fun to write and I enjoy going back and rereading it a lot.


	6. Don't Get Attached

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m not supposed to get attached to you. What do you think about that?”
> 
> It barks happily. Goddamn idiot.
> 
> _Mild warning for mentions of: Animal death and experimentation, nothing actually happens but characters talk about it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place before Orig!Greed leaves the homunculi.

“Don’t get attached,” Lust warns.

Greed’s eye twitches as he sits in the middle of a swarm of puppies, most of whom don’t want anything to do with him of course, but still. ‘Don’t get attached’? They’re _puppies_! What else is he supposed to do? He picks up one who’s brave enough -- or probably more accurately stupid enough -- to bound over to him. “I’m not supposed to get attached to you. What do you think about that?”

It barks happily. Goddamn idiot.

Greed looks up at Lust. “That’s what it said. Don’t fucking show ‘em to me if you don’t want me to keep ‘em. I’m _Greed_ , bitch.”

“They’re for use in experiments,” she responds crossing her arms. “And Gluttony’s probably going to eat half of them.”

Reflexively Greed pulls the puppy he’s holding closer to him. It starts licking his face, excitedly, tail wagging as fast as it can. He glances around at the others warily keeping their distance then down into the happy face of the little puppy in his hands. For half a second he sees Gluttony’s hungry face, then the twisted remains of a failed chimera and, “I’m keeping this one.”

Lust raises an eyebrow. “Why?”

“I want it.” Greed answers, because there isn’t a better reason. That should be the only reason ever needed.

She shrugs. “Well, I won’t stop you if you want to take it, but you do realize Father might not let you keep it.”

“He doesn’t have to know, now does he?” Greed tucks the puppy close to his chest and closes his vest so only the puppy’s head sticks out. “So long as you don’t rat me out. What dear old dad doesn't know won't hurt anybody.”

She shakes her head. “Hm, I suppose not, and it’s not as if we need every one of them for our experiments.”

Greed looks away. He wants them all. But if he can just keep this one. Just this one…

“Greed…” Lust approaches him and leans down. “You know it’s probably going to grow up to hate you.”

He scratches the puppy’s ears, silently. He knows. Animals hate the homunculi. If this puppy had any sense it’d be cowering like its siblings and the other animals Lust and Envy had gathered. “Just don’t tell anyone.”

She sighs and puts a hand on his head pushing slightly before she walks away. “If you get in trouble for this then I was never here.”

Greed moves to get up and the other puppies scatter. Some of them snarl at him from the corners of the room. Most just watch him cautiously. Greed scratches the back of his head, he really hates this. The pup stashed in his vest licks the bottom of his chin and he sighs. Well, at least he’s got one that likes him. For now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't _know_ I apparently really like writing angst about dogs for characters I really like. It's only mild angst though and the dog does NOT die! Although it is unfinished because I couldn't figure out a whole story that DIDN'T end with some form of sad parting for Greed and the dog.


	7. Will To Live

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So fun fact: Vato Falman is apparently pushing 60 and I feel so bad for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know where I was going with this snippet, I just something I randomly started writing and dropped after I got to the funny line.

“Where’s Officer Falman?” Ed says.

“Oh… look down.” Jean answers.

Ed does and Falman greets him from the floor where he’s lying face down. “Hello.”

“…Why are you on the floor?”

Jean watches as Falman lifts his head slightly. “Because I thought I lost the will to live 20 years ago but it turns out I had more.”

“Emphasis on ‘Had’.” Jean clarifies for him with a snigger.


End file.
